it's a Thai!

along with Japanese food, Thai food is one of the best chows i've discovered in recent years that made me a convert, and made me realized there are better, way better, choices than those fastfoods that i thought were comfort foods.

my love affair with thai food started when i was first introduced to THE bagoong rice of sukhothai (i miss this restaurant!) and then it flourished when i worked in a restaurant that serves thai-malaysian-curry themed foods and there i met chicken pandan and it was love at first bite! and with tom yam soup? whoa, i was enthralled by its hotness!

i am, in a way, engrossed with trying different thai restaurants which, by the way, should also be affordable (with emphasis on affordable) and this has brought me (and lyn) to Som's (they now have a branch in morato, the reposo branch which we used to frequent is now closed, and we are yet to set foot on the original carinderia somewhere in the Rockwell area) and Jatujak. but not every thai food we've tried were good, some are also not commendable (take sukhothani and oodly's as examples).

one gloomy afternoon, lyn and i craved for something spicy, tired already of glorietta, we trooped to the Mall of Asia and our feet brought us again near the Entertainment Plaza to Jatujak! The attentive staff immediately attend to us and table and the menu came in next.

as lyn was raving about the pomelo salad in somer palace (or was that sommer palace or summer palace in greenbelt 3, i don't know), we tried the restaurant's version of Pomelo Salad with shrimp. it was my first time to try it and it was just a so-so for me and i thought it was very expensive (P220.00) for such an ordinary taste! and the serving was also small, just a few slices of pomelo, TWO pieces of shrimp, dash of shallots (onions) and other spices plus some lettuce and the thai dressing (which i thought was just a viniagrette). i am not going to order this again.

and the tom yam (shrimp) came. this never fails to amaze us. hmm, i think the taste is better compared to the last time we went there and the price (P195.00) is now more expensive as compared to P172 on our previous visit. we ordered medium size and mild hot, and yet our ears were burning! and we love it. hehehe.

the favorite bagoong rice came in next, nay! before it was only P110 and now P146!!! the serving is still good for three, and still has that porkbits and chicharon and the not so strong bagoong (shrimp paste) after taste. the green mango and cucumber also add some chunkiness to it and make the eating enjoyable.

for the first time, we tried ordering Red Curry beef (P245), and even for its mild hotness, this one is hoooot! i am not really a fan of curry but this got a really nice creamy taste (maybe because of the coconut milk) that compliments the beefy taste (hey, it's beef!). this is a good dish, and you need to stir it well before serving/eating as the sauce has this hobby of staying at the bottom. and one more thing (and possibly the only downside), it should be paired with a plain rice and not with bagoong rice, the taste don't really mixed well.

to down what we've eaten and to combat the spiciness, lyn and i got each other lemon mint iced tea at P45 each, and has that herb taste which is different yet cool and refreshing!

the above prices are still subject to a 10% service charge (this is expensive na ha) but a 10% discount (5% for card-users) for SM Advantage card users can offset it, so happily ever after pa rin. :)

our tummies were full and we still have a take out that is good for one more meal!


i love life! :)

side note: all taken with my camera phone so the details may not be that sharp and the colors were on the distorted side, as usual i did not used the flash.

2008 Holidays, Fixed!

i mentioned in my earlier post that 2008 will be another banner year for travelling because of too many loong weekends, but still needs a proclamation from the Malacañang for it to be valid.

guess what, as i browsed the government's official website (out of habit yata hehehe), the waiting is over, there's a proclamation setting the dates of regular and special holidays for 2008!

part of the proclamation (the most important part, actually) is below:

President Arroyo signed the proclamation on Feb. 18, the day she declared Feb. 25, 2008 (Monday) as a Special (Non-Working) Day nationwide to mark the 22nd anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

R.A. 9492 provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation.

This year, the following regular holidays shall fall on the following dates:

• Maundy Thursday (March 20, Thursday)

• Good Friday (March 21, Friday)

• Araw ng Kagitingan (April 7, Monday nearest April 9)

• Labor Day (May 1, Thursday)

• Independence Day (June 9, Monday nearest June 12)

• National Heroes’ Day (Aug. 25, last Monday of August)

• Bonifacio Day (Dec. 1, Monday nearest Nov. 30)

• Christmas Day (Dec. 25, Thursday); and

• Rizal Day (Dec. 30, Tuesday)

Meanwhile, the Special (Non-Working) Holidays for 2008 shall fall on the following dates:

• Ninoy Aquino Day (Aug.18, Monday nearest Aug. 21)

• All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1, Saturday)

• Additional Special (Non-Working) Day (Dec. 26, Friday)

• Additional Special (Non-Working) Day (Dec. 29, Monday)

• Last day of the year (Dec. 31, Wednesday).

As for the Muslims’ observance of Eidul Fitr, President Arroyo ordered the Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) to inform the Office of the President (OP) “on which day the said holiday shall fall.”The President said another proclamation shall be issued declaring the Eidul Fitr date as a national holiday for Muslims “after the appropriate date of the Islamic holiday has been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.”

for more details, go here.

if you read this way ahead your officemates, grab that leave form and be the first one to file that Vacation leave, unahin na ang Dec 24, 2007 at January 2, 2008 para sa napakahabang Christmas at New Year's break.

as for the budget constraints, well...

Go Japanese!

Years ago, my idea of japanese food was limited only to Tokyo Tokyo and the uber-oily Ebi tempura, sashimi was a big no-no (because it's raw), and i don't even know how to use the chopsticks!

But now, aside from mastering the chopsticks, Japanese food, along with Thai food, has became a favorite! Blame it on me for working with the Japanese people (a lot of Japanese!) for the last five years. :) Eating sashimi is no longer an issue to me, in fact i craved for it!

And last week was one of those times that Lyn and I craved for something Japanese, not the generic one that you can find in the mall, we want an authentic one! And authentic it is that we want, Little Tokyo is the place.

I've been to this compound of japanese restaurants a couple of times before but it's the first time that i'll bring lyn here (ang kuripot ko raw kasi hehe) so this makes the visit extra special. :)

With lots of restaurants to chose from (you have to consult the menus of each resto or ask the attendants manning the door just to be sure if the resto has what you're looking for because not all of the restos there have the same thing to offer, example a certain resto do not have sashimi, instead they have a lot of omelets), we settled ourselves in Oinshinbou Restaurant (the first one on the right, inside the compound).

Since we are the only customers (6:00 pm is still early), the friendly filipino staff handed us the menu and take our orders, murmured something japanese (that i didn't understand only the "hai" part) and off she go to the counter. While waiting for our food, we scanned the small restaurant (a Lakers' game is on, and in Japanese!!!) and familiarized our nostrils to its wooden slathered with cooking oil and spices smell. Well, that comes with the authenticity tag. And I also told Lyn that if it's frequented by Japanese expats/nationals, it must be good and authentic (sabi nya: "owws, talaga lang ha?").

In no time, our orders came in one by one.

Tuna sashimi, eight pieces, served in a small bucket full of ice, P198. Fresh and yummy!!!! and we also like the cucumber and grated raddish on the side.

Kani Salad, P238. The serving is already good for two, and has generous servings of crabsticks and ripe mango! This is good! Panalo!!!! So far, the best kani salad we've tasted, it must be the dressing, ansarap, and to top it all, even though the mayo is on the creamy side, hindi sya nakakaumay! This is one good reason to go back here.

Chicken Teriyaki Bento (i forgot how much exactly but it's more than P200). The chicken, i thought, was dry, maybe overcooked but still tasty (maybe because of the msg?), the veggies side dish is also overcooked (i prefer my veggies to be crispy), the rice is definitely good, not so dry and not so sticky, just right to compliment the chicken and the veggies. But, the star of this set is not the chicken but the mashed potato and the raddish/cucumber/sweet we-don't-know-what-veggies that goes with it. hmmm! creamy (what's up with creamy?) and the taste is very different from, let's say Kenny Rogers' or even World of Chicken's, because it's creamy (yay, there goes that word again)! It save the bento box from being forgettable. And oh, the miso soup is also good.

Hah, life! You'll forget your diet or worry about that bulging tummy because of these.

oishi ne!

(sorry for some distorted colors, i used my camera phone for this set and also, turned off its flash).

Breaking the code

i psyched myself to finish the remaining breakdown of expenses, and i know i can do it even before lunch time. my momentum is building up, suddenly, the boss asked for a little favor: "Please read and correct a certain memo." i said okay for i know it's going to be simple.

as usual, i was wrong. forgive me, but my little brain has abandoned me:

"We would like to inform you of the pick-up of your child(ren) at the get-off point during take-home and the measure to be taken in the near future.

1. Current situation
The parent is supposed to meet his child(ren) and pick up at the get-off point, before the bus arrives at the pick-up point, considering that the period when the bus leaves ___ and arrives the pick- up point (except the blue pas high school student holder).

However, when the bus arrives at the get-off point, the parent and/or the equivalent is not found there. As the bus has to wait for the parent, that might cause bus operation afterwards and also troubles the parent who looks after with kindness until those who do not come on time to pick up, come there.

2. Confirming matters and the measures to be taken

The parent should pick up their children at the pick-up point at designated time, in principle.Under the special circumstances, the family maid and/or the driver comes to pick-up point to receive the children, the parent should confirm whether they are at the pick-up point.

With some special reasons, in case that the parent who is asked by the another parent to pick up will tell the bus attendants to receive the other children.

The parent and/ or the equivalents shall wait for the bus to enable the attendants to confirm them.
The parent shall inform the bus company and/or the bus delegate of his/her cellphone number or landline

The School Bus Committee expects the current situation will be highly improved. However, if it is no development, it will be discussed in the School Bus Steering Committee and the new measures taken by imposing the penalty will be examined.

Therefore, we strongly request the parent to follow the rules and observations.

Thank you for your consideration."

there.

i don't know what's wrong with me, but i don't get this. dapat sanay na ako sa ganito as i am doing the "translation" every now and then, but this time, i need to read, re-read, re-re-read and read more.

lost in translation.

and there's one more coming. waaaah.

good thing, it's friday! happy weekend, kanpai!

More of Anawangin

my first time in Anawangin last year was a memorable one, despite the rain and the huge waves that come with it and some "supernatural" experience, i remember being mesmerized by its natural beauty. i promised myself to be back.

last weekend, that promise was fulfilled. Yapak Mountaineers had its first team building in Anawangin (the area, especially Pundaquit, is now the favorite location of some of boobtube's primetime soaps like Marimar, Kung Fu kids, Maging sino ka man and was featured last year in The Probe Team), and i realized that Anawangin is even more beautiful when the sun is up, when there's no rain and the water is calm.

i giggled with excitement, not with the team building but with the anticipation of a better weather for an endless photo ops! i am bad i know hehe

the team building took the whole saturday, but it doesn't stop me from taking some shots, besides, i am not the only one hehehe.

the discussions and group dynamics were fun and actively participated in (i even had a mini-monologue when the topic shifted to knowing your priorities and touched budgeting, whoa!).

anyways, when the activity was about to end, we were asked to go on the shore for meditation, but i cannot concentrate because i was facing the sun directly and it's so hot! so i just excused myself and do this. :)

after the team affirmation, lyn and i went around and explore the area to look for the best spot for sunset (we tried climbing the nearby mountain where i took one of my all-time favorite shots, naks, but give up the idea halfway as we didn't bring a headlamp/flashlight). but it doesn't dampen our spirit as i just realized that the cove itself is a good spot for sunset.

we'll be in Anawangin again next month...

Happy weekend everyone, Kanpai!

Anawangin II

last weekend...

awards!

last december, during Yapak's christmas party which i was not able to attend because it falls on the day that we will watch Avenue Q, i was nominated for some awards (nine categories, i think) and i was able to bag three of those! holy camote, how did that happened is beyond me hehehe. the certificates were given to me just recently, and i was like, wow! i could be happier if there's a cash prize too, but there's none, so yun, wow lang. hehehe.

i got the Early Bird award because i am a bird, este, i am always early (like 30 minutes early) whether it's a regular training run, preclimb meeting or other activities, and then i'll end up waiting for at least an hour before we can start whatever's on the agenda. kainis no? i am always reprimanding them (in a nice way of course) for coming late, and remind them constantly to be at least considerate of others who are making an effort to come on time. ayun, ganun pa rin sila, manghihingi na ako ng fine next time.

Endurance award! Yahoo! Education defined endurance as a noun, it is the act, quality or power of withstanding hardship or stress; the state or fact of persevering; continuing existence, duration. in short, i am superman! i am a superhero! YATTA!

Rookie of the Year. naks! sounds like i am an outstanding newbie, a newcomer who brought in slam-banging dunks, gravity-defying drive to the hoops or that perfect treys from the rainbow country or the mind-boggling steals and the no-look pass... wait, that's basketball! i am a rookie mountain climber, and i am the best for the year... what? every newbie's given a rookie of the year award? you mean, ALL OF US? and, this is generic? waaaaaah

hehehe, bitter.

seriously, i am thankful for those, it means that they noticed and took note of my efforts, and the sweat and muscle pains and sacrifices on climbing mountains were rewarded. to my YAPAK family, even though you already saw and know how idealistic i can become, how opinionated and how i can be a fighter for what i know is right, thank you, thank you, very much appreciated. :)

there is just one thing that the group hasn't explained and justified to me yet, WHY I DIDN'T WIN IN THE VIDEOKE KING CATEGORY?!? where is justice, where is justice??? hehehe, maybe it's their one way of saying "pwede bang KAMI NAMAN ang kumanta?"

oh, i'll include that in my targets for 2008, to win in the videoke king category! promise. lol

happy weekend everyone, we'll be in Anawangin for YAPAK's teambuilding, kanpai!!!!

run out of words

that can happen, especially if you already said/wrote quite a lot.

since yesterday, i am trying to compose a strongly-worded letter (condemning letter, demanding letter, damning letter, etc), as instructed by my boss to be sent to the estate association who made a horrendous 33% increase in association dues, without any notice whatsoever. with just that, you can already said a mouthful, right?

wrong.

if you are drafting letters of similar nature and/or content to the same person/group for the last three years and you don't get the desired result/s, will you get tired of doing it? i am starting to. and to made it even worse, i have this impression that the top guys of that group were just sitting their fat asses on whatever it is that we're telling/asking them!

they'll set an appointment with us for some explanations, they'll come as the happy-and-we-understand-your-situation type of executives, the meeting will end in a happy note, we'll shake hands and lead them outside like long lost friends. and that's all about it. the part were they live happily ever after will not come. maybe it will never come.

they're like politicians, they'll make promises, they'll say they'll go the distance just for you, but what they'll give us? just that, promises, go the distance yourselves!

hokey, i was, never mind. hehehe.

if what's left of my brain will fail me to make that letter of all letters, maybe what i will do is just to compile ALL the letters/communications we have with them and send all of it to them as an attachment, both as a sarcastic move and as a refresher for their fading memories!

how i wish i can do that!

the weekend that was...

this should have been posted last monday (but we don't have office that day) or yesterday but my connection was like on an extended vacation, so duh! anyway...

last weekend, me and lyn hosted a get together for old friends at my small space in imus. for the record, we are planning for this before the election last year but since we cannot find a date that fits everyone's schedule, it has been moved and moved and moved until i asked them two weeks ago.

although our tropa is not complete, missing were the hubbies of the desperate housewives, i managed to get everyone who's here for a weekend pot luck party. parang what about my place ang drama hehehe. and so we set the date and time and we stayed in the house saturday afternoon and stayed awake until 4 am the next day.

how did we do it? just look.

adobong pusit, buttered shrimps, crabs, bangus belly sinigang were cooked by lyn and her sister, me? i cut the ingredients and cooked the rice. lol

rhea and marlon brought with them Novaliches' Puto pao, elvira chipped in cake from becky's, mabel contributed barbeque from amber's, sherill toss in her sicilian salad and melony and henson add in the yummy leche flan and ube.

manny and badette put in a bottle of tequila each.

i prepared the nachos (i just arranged it, lyn cooked it)

as the night began to roll, magic sing for the first bottle of tequila

after downing the first battle/bottle, Cranium!

ah, this game is crazy! a combination of charade, pictionary, trivial pursuit, spelling (backwards!), word anagram, clay sculpture, singing/humming and many more, with tequila already flowing in our veins, hah! endless laughters. how in the world can you draw blindfolded with a time limit and the other groups are distracting you and your teammates? this game really is for your whole brain.

and after three hours, we finished the game, my team with lyn and sherill won, we also downed the second bottle of tequila, chat more, eat more, watched Cuaron's Y tu mama tambien on dvd, kwentuhan pa, and then by 4 am, everyone's asleep.

four hours later, when everyone's up, we eat again, parang nagkaron ng eat-all-you-can-food festival!

it was a weekend full of fun, a very nice bonding and catching up with old friends. imagine us when we were younger and fancy free, one weekend is not enough!

mauulit ito, sigurado.

New Chairman, etc.

(Someone sent me this email many moons ago)

BILL GATES RECRUITS A NEW CHAIRMAN

Bill Gates organized an enormous session to recruit a new Chairman for Microsoft Europe. 5000 candidates assembled in a large room.

One candidate is MARIO DIMACULANGAN.

Bill Gates: Thank you for coming. Those who do not know JAVA may leave. (2000 people leave the room) MARIO says to himself, 'I do not know JAVA but I have nothing to lose if I stay. I'll give it a try.'

Bill Gates: Candidates who never had experience of managing more than 100 people may leave. (2000 people leave the room.) Mario says to himself, 'I never managed anybody but myself but I have nothing to lose if I stay. What can happen to me?' So he stays.

Bill Gates: Candidates who do not have management diplomas may leave. (500 people leave the room.) Mario says to himself, 'I left school at 15 but what have I got to lose?' So he stays in the room.

Lastly, Bill Gates asked the candidates who do not speak Serbo-Croat to leave. (498 people leave the room.) Mario says to himself, 'I do not speak one word of Serbo-Croat but what do I have to lose?' So he stays and finds himself with one other candidate. Everyone else has gone.

Bill Gates joined them and said 'Apparently you are the only two candidates who speak Serbo-Croat, so I'd now like to hear you have a conversation together in that language.

Calmly, Mario turns to the other candidate and says, "Ano ba yan, dong?"

The other candidate answered "Ewan, pare...."

---------------------------------------------------------------

T: Kung ang tawag sa girl na sobrang mahilig sa sex ay nymphomaniac, ano naman ang tawag sa guy na sobrang mahilig sa sex?

S: Normal.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Happy weekend everyone, Kanpai!!!!

PP

no, this is not regarding Paypal or PayperPost, i am not (yet) into those. what i am referring to is Post Processing, digital post processing, that is. yeah, it's about photography and i needed more than guts, kapalmuks to be exact, to post something about it.

warning though, i am no expert so forgive me, i am just experimenting.

my months in flickr, particularly in pinoy kodakero, exposed me to some techniques being used by seasoned photographers from all over, how to compose a shot, seeing things from different angles, and yes, including some stuffs on how to improve your picture.

one of them is High Dynamic Range or HDR (wiki defined it very well).

some people might be turned off by this because it may appear to be a manipulation of the image taken, but for me, as long as no part was added or removed, and only the exposures were changed, i'll give it a try. besides, i am a poor point and shoot user and might need some of these to stretch the limit of my camera.

using Picasa 2, here's my first try on faking HDR (image borrowed from Joseph)

that's the original image (long exposure), and after making two copies of it with different exposures (over and under exposures), i collate them into one picture, adjust the contrast, balance the light and more shadow, warmify it a little, put a little glow and voila! naaliw naman ako!

i think i still need more practice but for a first time effort, not bad at all. the downside of it? nakakaaliw syang gawin!

Holidaysssss!

2008 is merely two weeks old, and most of the fiesta/holiday loving filipinos returned from our vacations with a waistline an inch wider and the weighing scale showing what we've eaten, or should i say, over-indulged ourselves with, here are more reasons to be merry and bright, but please, minus the fat!

Republic Act No. 9492 or the Act Rationalizing the Celebration of National Holidays in the Philippines was signed January 2007, and the result? LONG WEEKENDS!!!!!

and 2008 means looong weekend holidays!

LONG WEEKEND!!!! Tuesday, January 1 New Year's day

LONG WEEKEND!!!! Monday, February 25 Edsa Revolution Anniversary (hmm, GMA loves to piss off the Aquinos these days so maybe, it maybe the first casualty, sigh)

LONG WEEKEND!!!! Monday, April 7 Araw ng Kagitingan (in lieu of April 9)

LONG WEEKEND!!!! Monday, June 16 Independence Day (in lieu of June 12), or maybe the 9th

LONG WEEKEND!!!! Monday, August 25 Ninoy Aquino Day (in lieu of August 21 and concurrent with National Heroes Day)

October ___ - Eid'l Fitr (to be confirmed by the Office the Muslim Affairs)

November 1, All Saints Day. patay! (pun not intended) it falls on a Saturday!

LONG WEEKEND!!!! Monday, December 1 Bonifacio Day (in lieu of November 30)

and drum please, the grandmomma of all long weekends...

a 12-day extravaganza of a long, long, long, long weekend!!!

Wednesday, December 24 - Official Last Minute shopping holiday

Thursday, December 25, Christmas Day (declared by GOD)

Friday, December 26 - uhm, do you really think pinoys will go to work on this day?

Saturday, December 27 - it's a Saturday!

Sunday, December 28 - Sunday is also a rest day!

Monday, December 29 - Rizal Day (in lieu of December 30)

Tuesday, December 30 - see Friday, December 26 for reference

Wednesday, December 31 - Last day of the year holiday (declared by GMA, she is not God btw)

Thursday, January 1, 2009 - still a holiday...

Friday, January 2, 2009 - see Friday, December 26 for reference

Saturday, January 3, 2009 - saturday!

Sunday, January 4, 2009 - sunday!

ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES!!!!!

Note: The above information was received by yours truly via email, and the Government of the Philippines is yet to release a proclamation for the above, so don't buy that ticket yet or confirm that hotel reservation, otherwise...

and i must also remind myself of my targets for 2008.

hay, magtipid.

but wait, i can still do backpacking! travel tsinelas-style!!! wu-hoo.

excited? :)

Targets

new year's resolutions...not!

neither a meme (but if you want to do the same, you're tagged hehe).

it has been seven days after the dawn of the new year, and this kind of stuff is already late for some new year hubbaloos but what the heck? it's only seven days and not seven months, anyway...

these are some of the things that i need to have/to do/must have/must do (they're like the things i must force myself to do/to have/must do/must have):

1. Driver's license - i know, i know, kinda weird for a man (and at my age!) not to have one but it's the truth, i don't have it because i still don't know how to drive a car, period. :) another confession, i am "driving" a scooter in the province without a license but only around the neighborhood (yeah right, like driving around the area will not make me a law breaker...)

2. Passport - the shock factor here is on a lesser degree compared with the first one. my mindset before was why would i get one if i don't need one? tingininginiiing! reality check: what if i need one??? and asap??? what if i was asked by the National Geographic or the Discovery channel to be a travel bum and be paid for it and the only requirement is a passport? waaaa. i'll definitely get mine this year. :)

3. Photography class - i need one, and i have to do it the old-fashioned way, with a film SLR. sad to say, i cannot make a dSLR camera a priority, at least for this year, as there are more important things than a dSLR camera, but who knows, baka maisingit hehe.

4. More blog posts - i'll just do it. and also, i need to put a little sense to what i am posting hehe.

I think the above will do for now, i still have a lot in my mind but those need to be placed in the backburner as most of them involve money and 2008 is not the year to splurge on stuffs of lesser importance/relevance to/for the future.

*winks winks*

any target/s for this year?

How to welcome the new year on a positive note?

Be thankful for 2007.

For all the challenges, for all the laughs, the good times, the not-so-good ones, for everything.

1. Good Health.

- I am thankful for good health, especially for my dad and my mom. My dad, who's now fully recovered from a scary stroke three years ago, is now doing well, and save for the regular medical check up, the medicines plus a rather slower lifestyle (he's a retired policeman), everything's back to normal. He had completely forgotten and gave up smoking (he was a chain smoker) and drinking (but we let him from time to time so as not to completely denied him) and he take up walking around the neighborhood as his regular exercise, good no? About the same time last year, my mom experienced unbearable stomach pains, and a medical check up showed that she has gallstones that needed to be removed, asap! i know the feeling of how uncomfortable it is as i also have gallstones and had my own share of sleepless nights and throwing up. She was operated on January 2 and since recovered really well. Aside from the usual fever and colds, my family, including lyn, did not have any major health problems this year and i am very thankful for that.

2. Lyn

- One of, if not, the best things that happened to me. We celebrated our sixth year and that six years made realized more how lucky i am to have her. I think the love letter post says everything i need to write. And for 2008? abangan...

3. Work

- I am grateful that I am employed and that I can contribute and give some to my family and for some of their needs.

4. Travel

- Aahh. It has been an amazing travelling year for me. I've been to a lot, explored new places and set foot on places i only dreamt of before, to name a few, i've been to Sagada, to Potipot Island, to Anawangin, ahh, if only i have enough money to travel, i'll surely wander around the Philippines! There's still Batanes, Zamboanga, Camiguin, Siquijor, Caramoan, Cagbalete island, Palawan, Cagayan, Mindanao.... andami pa, Hundred Islands na nga lang 100 na! and may I also add Enchanted Kingdom? hehe

5. Mountain Climbing

- This is something i always wanted to do, and 2007 came as the realization. I underwent the Basic Mountaineering Course with Yapak Mountaineers, and boy! it was an awesome experience. Mt. Pulag summed it all up to me, and i am looking forward for more mountains to climb for next year.

6. Photography

- As i look back to the year that's about to end, i can say that it was the year when photography really knocks me off my feet (naks!). And i am serious. Before, i only took pictures because I need to (for souvenirs) but now, i took pictures because I still need to (hehehe) and also because I have this "itch" that's needed to be "scratched". Photography is one world that I willingly embraced, and it really makes me appreciate things around me and the little details around them. Now, i only need a Nikon d40x and a photography class to understand more the technical aspects of this art.

7. New Friends

- Blogging, Mountain climbing and Photography not only gave me new highs, they also lead me to a path where I found new friends who share the same interests. And i am tremendously enjoying every minute of it. Sabi nga, strangers are friends you haven't meet yet. And I am thankful I met you.

8. Transformers, the movie

- can you blame me? for someone who grow up thinking that there are no Volkswagens, only Bumblebees and that the ultimate coolness is to have, again, Bumblebee as your buddy, i think that's understandable. I wasn't teary eyed when i saw this but the live action movie really brought me to the time when life was still simple and no bills to pay, no deadlines to meet... and for that moment that i was living the child in me, i am thankful.

9. Heroes

- Sci-fi at its best! Who doesn't want to be Peter Petrelli? The dvd marathon of season 1 reminds me of my fascination with The X-file or the 80's Misfits of Science or the original X-men animated series. I am so loving my tv and my dvd player because of this. Yatta!!!!

10. I am alive

- This alone is so much to be thankful of. Despite what's happening to the world, waking up each morning is such a blessing and a gift from above. It always reminds us that we can always look forward to a new morning, a new beginning.

There are still a thousand and one reasons why we should be thankful for 2007, we don't need to elaborate and/or write everything, it's enough that we accepted what was given us and thankful for every lesson learned.

As we leap to the new year, let's bring with us all the positive things we learned from 2007 and transform to a better us.

(Thank you Lazarus for the tag)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE, KANPAI!!!!!!

My Little Christmas Tree

Christmas makes you feel nostalgic... and you really cannot do anything about it.

A simple parol reminds me of my dad who is really good in making and/or repairing them. we usually bring them to school as our contribution for our classroom's christmas decors, and my dad's parol made from bamboo and covered by fluffy rolls of white japanese papers and red cellophane stands out, despite its small size, from an array of multi-colored lanterns. and after the school's christmas party, we bring them home to be the star/s in our window/s.

I do not have a parol in my little house but i do plan to make some in the future, just like my dad.

Our family christmas tree in Quezon is usually up by first week of December, and digging boxes of christmas decors never fails to excite the kids in us that Santa Claus is really coming to town. We usually look for decors we call our own, for instance, each one in the family has its own star to put in the tree, mine is this sparkling blue star, and it should be me and only me who can put that star in our tree, and same with everyone else. Now that i am away and not present during this christmas tree event, i let my nephews do the honor for me (they now also have their own star!).

Come Christmas time when I'll be home, looking at that star that I call my own will bring back memories.

Now, that I am on my own, the thrill of putting that tree, decorating it and seeing it all aglow at night is such a fascinating feeling, it can really cheer me up and made me look forward for Christmas and be with them.

And before we go on emo mode, here's how my little christmas tree looks like, with decors all made by myself.

HAVE A VERY MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! KANPAI!!!

and remember the reason why there is Christmas...

This weekend...

a dash of this, a sprinkle of that, plus this...

Happy weekend everyone, KANPAI!!!

dapat bang magdala ng trabaho sa bahay?

Pangkaraniwan na sa mga empleyado ang mag-uwi ng trabaho sa bahay, na kadalasang pinag-aawayan ng mga mag-asawa.

"maghapon ka na ngang wala, tapos pag-uwi mo, wala ka pa ring panahon sa min ng mga anak mo..." yan ang kadalasang linya ng partner mo.

Oo nga naman, dapat balanse lang ang buhay... me panahon para sa trabaho at me panahon para sa mga mahal sa buhay. yan ang dapat nating sanayin: balanseng buhay para sa masayang pagsasama!

naalala ko tuloy ang kapit-bahay ko. tahimik lang sila.... masaya,at palagi kong naririnig na nagtatawanan. nguni't isang araw nagulat ako sa aking narinig, iyakan ng mga bata, galit na galit na nanay, "walanghiya ka! bakit ka nag-uwi ng trabaho dito?

"pasensya na mahal, ang dami lang talagang trabaho, baka di ko matapos e kailangang mai-deliver na agad ito." sabi ng lalaki.

sa loob loob ko, minsan lang naman ata nag-uwi ng trabaho di pa pinagbigyan. tuloy pa rin ang sigawan, ang iyakan.... lubos na akong nabahala kaya kinatok ko sila.

"tao po, tao po, okay lang ba kayo dyan?" binuksan ng babae ang pinto at galit na galit na nagsumbong sa kin

"hay naku, nakakataas ng presyon tong asawa ko, nag-uwi ng trabaho dito sa bahay!"

"intindihin mo na lang, minsan lang naman ata ginawa eh ,baka sobrang dami lang talaga ng trabaho nya ngayon at meron pang deadline." ang sabi ko sa kanya.

Galit na galit ang babae na sinagot ako..."ay buwisit talaga, alam mo bang embalsamador ang asawa ko?"

:)

Laws

the email inbox is really a gem when one is looking for a bloggable item. and as usual, i found (or rather, received) one. of course, i am sharing it to you.

(anong panama ng Newton's Law of gravity sa mga ito??)

Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee. (hmm, that explains why mechanics have grease on their noses)

Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner. (honga, parang doon talaga ang destinasyon nila!)

The law of the Telephone: If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal. (try mo!)

Law of the Alibi: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire. (so don't make LBM as your usual excuse, karma ang tawag dyan haha)

Variation Law: If you change lines at a checkout (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now (works every time). (kahit sa MRT lagi yan)

Law of the Bath: When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings. (sa mga horror movies, maraming ganito, lalabas ng naka-towel lang yung naliligo na usually babae, tapos habulang umaatikabo na ang kasunod! hihihi)

Law of Close Encounters: The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with. (ay totoo yan, so wag ding gamiting excuse na masama ang pakiramdam o di kaya busy para lang di makapunta sa isang gathering, tapos magmamalling ka lang pala, chances are, makakasalubong mo ang mga taong sinabihan mo ng ganun. to make it simple, wag maging sinungaling hehehe)

Law of the Result: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will. (okey, i want to prove that my brain is not working, well? it really is not working hehehe)

Law of Biomechanics: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach. (kaya pala sobrang kati kapag yung pinaka-sentro ng likod mo ang kumakati. o fungi na yan? hehe)

Law of the Theater: At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last. (hmm, hindi rin, kung sino yung nakaupo sa unahan, yun, yun ang huling dumating)

Law of Coffee: As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold. (buti na lang, pinapalamig ko talaga coffee ko hehe)

Murphy's Law of Lockers: If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers. (who's murphy, by the way?)

Law of Rugs/Carpets: The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug. (tip: if you have an expensive carpet/rug, don't make jelly sandwich)

Law of Location: No matter where you go, there you are. (oo nga naman...)

Law of Logical Argument: Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about. ( okey, let's talk about jelly sandwich...)

Brown's Law: If the shoe fits, it's ugly. (yeah!!!)

Oliver's Law: A closed mouth gathers no feet. (ano daw? at sino naman si oliver?)

Wilson's Law: (this one is true every time!) As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it. (di ba?)

Doctors' Law: If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. Don't make an appointment and you'll stay sick.

agree? :)